By ASCO Staff
Generic drug shortages are a crisis for cancer care in the U.S. Currently, 15 cancer-related drugs are in short supply. To help address this emergency, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Association for Clinical Oncology (collectively ASCO) are working to help mitigate the current crisis and prevent similar situations in the future. ASCO developed clinical guidance for clinicians who are navigating drug shortages — including a head and neck cancer-specific guideline — and is calling on Congress to take urgent action on the issue.
Cancer drug shortages are not new, but the recent shortages of carboplatin and cisplatin in the U.S. have been the most severe instances in decades, affecting upwards of a half million people. In response, ASCO also launched an advertising campaign in Axios Vitals — a prominent health policy newsletter — in late 2023. The ads highlighted the “impossible choices” oncologists face about who gets to receive their recommended therapy and who has care delayed or makes do with alternate treatments during drug shortages, and they direct readers to urge Congress to take action to address the problem.
ASCO’s campaign also involved more than a dozen radio news interviews across the country, conversations on social media, and grassroots efforts by the association’s advocates, which included sending messages to lawmakers through emails and social media posts, adding momentum to the calls for Congress to act on drug shortages.
Contact your members of Congress
ASCO encourages you to add your voice to our efforts. Using the ACT Network, you can urge your members of Congress to take immediate action on drug shortages. You can also join the conversation on social media and tweet at your lawmaker.
Our advocates have already sent more than 2,700 letters to Capitol Hill urging action on drug shortages, but Congress must continue to hear from the cancer care community that lasting change is needed to mitigate future shortages — please join us in taking action and make sure your voice is heard!
ASCO also encourages providers to report drug shortages directly to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While the agency is aware of critical shortages, it is important that it receives these reports to better assess the scope of shortages and use in mitigation activities.
You can also bookmark ASCO’s dedicated drug shortages website, asco.org/drug-shortages, which offers information from the FDA on the availability of drugs in shortage. The site also offers clinician resources, policy recommendations and links to more information.
The information provided here is for your convenience only. ASTRO does not make any claims about the suitability or quality of the programs discussed.
